Each year, Sea Otter marks the de facto coming out party for bike debutantes, from lightweight accessories to trendy builds. That’s why we like to go early. You can see all the new stuff, talk to the vendors, and get a feel for where the industry is headed.

We don’t have any crystal balls around here. But that doesn’t stop us from using our imaginations to conjure up what we’d like to see at Sea Otter 2015, running from April 16 through 19 at the spacious Laguna Seca grounds near Monterey. Here’s our Top 10 wish list:

1. Wide-rim tires. Wide and super wide carbon rims are all the rage, with good reason. They’re stiffer. They offer lower psi for better cornering, climbing and overall traction. They’re more stable and predictable . They look cool. The only problem comes with the tires. Their knob patterns weren’t designed for low pressure and squashed profiles. We’re sure hoping to see a new category of wide-specific tires from leading manufacturers like Schwalbe, Maxxis, Continental and Specialized. Who knows, maybe one of the lesser known brands or even a startup might debut something cool.

2. Customizable Fox rear shock. Fox is being left in the innovative dust by RockShox and Cane Creek, and X-Fusion is coming on strong as a like-for-like competitor. We expect a resounding Fox answer to the DB Inline’s and Monarch DebonAir’s fine-tune capabilities.

3. Longer, lower, slacker 29ers. A huge boost from BIKE magazine’s annual Bible of Tests put Evil’s new Following 29er at the top of the forum buzz list. Early adopters are raving about The Following’s go-big performance characteristics, bringing enduro and even bike park handling to the big hoops. Seattle-based Evil isn’t listed among exhibitors (as of this writing) but we’re hoping it will still have some presence at Otter. Given the ungodly demand, it may be asking too much for bikes in a demo pit, but failing that, at least a Following or two to ogle and drool over.

4. A Santa Cruz Bicycles reboot. It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since Santa Cruz rocked Otter with the amazingly lightweight, fast, and cool-looking carbon Bronson. It was the bike that lit the fire on 27.5, which today is fast becoming the dominant mountain bike platform. But two whole years in the bike biz, coupled with advances in geometry and shock tech since then, has the Bronson looking a bit long in tooth. Santa Cruz needs an answer to Ibis’ hot new HD3, and a Bronson update seems like the logical path — as would, on the 29er side, a Tallboy refresh. For that matter, the 5010 may get a goose. Or equivalents — Santa Cruz sometimes just comes out with a whole new bike rather than a 2.0 or 3.0.

5. Something big from SRAM. There are a number of possibilities here, and as a Presenting Sponsor SRAM will have huge presence at Otter. Here’s what we’re thinking: Entries into the super-wide carbon wheel category, where SRAM is noticeably absent; a direct-mount chainring setup similar to Race Face’s Cinch technology; a lighter, hollow carbon crankset update of its XX and XO cranks, again in response to Race Face’s Next SL. And SRAM could have something completely new up its sleeve, too. One to watch for sure.

6. Ripley 2. There’s no fanboys like Ibis fanboys, and we’ve been agitating for a longer, lower, slacker Ripley for some time. Like, say, The Following. With Ibis scrambling to fill HD3 backlogs, a Ripley upgrade might not be in the cards. But we’re blue-skying here and would love to see such a thing.

7. Boost 148 axle/hubs. The rapid adoption of 27.5, coupled with continued popularity of 29ers, has the hub folks all in a lather to widen and stiffen axles. Trek already is offering this wider standard, and Industry 9 has a set as well. This one’s a bit controversial, as it poses numerous thorny implications for bike design overall. I mean, I already rub the chain stays too much. But we’re eager to see and maybe even demo the stuff up close.

8. Hemp clothing. Hemp is wool without the pain. You can re-wear it without washing (till it stands upright on its own!), it’s more durable than wool, it’s cheaper and it offers the same insulating qualities (warm in cold weather, cool in hot weather) without getting clammy from sweat. Most of all, it’s a natural fiber. We went over to wool a few seasons back and have dumped all our synthetics. Most cycling garb still is predominantly polyester and we’d love to see hemp get into the bike clothing game.

9. POV camera mounts/selfie help. While we still enjoy mtb videos, minute after minute of a bouncing noodle of dirt has gotten old. We’ll be looking for innovations in camera mounts like the rear axle mount we’ve seen on some recent vids. But what’s really coming on strong is multiple-camera selfies. Multiple cameras allow side shots, trail-level action and other points of view to augment the on-bike footage. (Sure you can use the same camera for different POV but that’s more time and trouble, and we’ve got 3 cams sitting around anyway.) GoPro’s booth is always buzzing at Sea Otter and we’ll be looking for the latest gizmos there. Keep an eye out for drones. We love those overhead shots of mtb crickets bouncing along the landscape!

10. The Unexpected. We can’t imagine what else might turn up in the aisles. But we love surprises and figure the Sea Otter Classic is the place you can most expect the unexpected. See ya there!

]]>It’s early yet I know, but I’m wondering if the Sea Otter Classic 2015 festival won’t feature a wide rollout of new fattie-specific tires for the super-wide carbon rims being offered by Ibis, Derby, Specialized and others.

Here’s why:

The “fattie” rims are catching on. I ride around Santa Cruz, and they’re on virtually all the new bikes folks are riding, from not only Ibis but Santa Cruz, Intense, Yeti and others.

The issue being this: Existing tires are made for narrower rims.

Fattie rims allow lower air pressure for greater traction. But they spread the tires out. This increases traction simply from greater tire footprint. But the tread pattern on traditional tires doesn’t typically match up to the fatter, flatter profile of the tire.

The workaround so far has been, choose a tire with a round rather than square, or aggressively side-knobbed, tread pattern. The typical choice for winter (wet, muddy, soft-surface) riding has been the Maxxis High Roller IIs or Minion DHFs.

They’re stout tires with burly side casings that work well for navigating the slop. But they won’t be the first choice for spring and summer riding once things dry out.

The small-block tires, Maxxis Ikons, Schwalbe Racing Ralphs, Kenda Small Block 8s, have a round profile. And their shallower tread is great for ripping the berms in summertime.

But they have flimsier sidewalls that tend to flop under low pressure. You have to air them up to keep them stable at speed on berms and corners.
That’s why we’re guessing the tire industry will come up with new lines for the super-wide carbon rims. And Sea Otter 2015 seems the perfect place to roll them out.

]]>http://bikeintelligencer.com/2014/12/sea-otter-classic-2015-wide-tire-watch/feed/05261So what DID you get yourself for Christmas?http://bikeintelligencer.com/2014/12/so-what-did-you-get-yourself-for-christmas/
http://bikeintelligencer.com/2014/12/so-what-did-you-get-yourself-for-christmas/#respondTue, 23 Dec 2014 04:27:06 +0000http://bikeintelligencer.com/?p=5256All I want for Christmas... I give to myself!

]]>
A poll on MTBR.com, the mountain biking geek-love site, has an intriguing stat. It appears that out of all cycling-related gifts cyclists give for Christmas, fully half are given to themselves.

It makes sense. Non-riders have no clue what to give us, especially since riders are (according to the poll) simply going to give themselves the presents they really want.

What to give the mountain biker who has everything? Nothing! He’s or she’s already given it to themselves!
But it raises the question: Just how merry is your Christmas this year? (Assuming you’re not trying to keep it a surprise for Christmas morning…)

]]>Over the years we’ve consoled, sympathized with and helped support dozens of cyclists who have had their bikes stolen. We’ve even had a few stolen from us.

But nothing like this: Our prized Pivot Firebird and Ibis Mojo SL, both fully pimped. Taken overnight from the back patio of our Santa Cruz apartment.

We thought we were protected. We had linked together two New York Fuhgettaboudit chains and run them through two big cinder blocks as well as all four wheels and both frames. We did this because there was no secure, fixed attachment to lock the bikes to.

Between midnight and 7 a.m. last Sunday, thieves lifted the whole assembly and carried it off. There were at least three of them, maybe more. It weighed at least 150 pounds.

The patio is enclosed inside a 7-foot-high wooden fence. You can’t see through it. These scumbags had cased the place and scoped out the job well ahead of time.

Usually when I hear of a bike theft, I think: Well at least that won’t happen to me. I thought I had it dialed.

But for all of you foolish enough to think as I did, here’s the reality. Thieves are getting more sophisticated — and desperate. They’ll stop at nothing. Just about everyone has a story to tell, and some of them defy imagination.

For instance:

One owner of four bikes was out riding when thieves raided his garage, breaking the lock. He disassembled and locked his remaining bike inside his car. Thieves broke into his car and stole that bike too.

A guy went to a high-end San Jose bike shop with his bike cable-locked on the roof of his car. He had line of sight out the store’s front windows. A box truck momentarily pulled up in front of the store, blocking his view. When the truck drove on, his bike was gone from his car.

A couple went out riding at Wilder Ranch. After the ride they drove back home up in the woods above Soquel. A long driveway, well out of sight of passing traffic. They went in to go to the bathroom. When they came back out, the bikes were gone. They’d been followed home from the ride.

I once had a bike stolen from the back of my Eurovan during lunch hour in downtown Portland. It was locked with both a cable and U-lock. Police speculated a van pulled up alongside mine, two or three guys jumped out and within seconds broke the locks, severed the cable and took the bike.

Anyway, you get the picture. If you think your bike is secure, think again. The only way to keep it totally safe is to have it by your side at all times.

So that’s my sad story. Here’s the description I’m circulating on the lists:

Weighed on my Alpine digital scale, the Firebird came in at 28.63 pounds. At the Downhill Zone shop in Seattle, the Park digital scale read 28.75 pounds.

Beating the ad ...

This is with pedals, so we’re beating the build advertised by Pivot at 28 pounds. Sans pedals we weighed in at 27.79 pounds.

Both Adam and I were blown away by the drop. Originally our goal had been the 30-pound range, with considerable doubt whether we could come in under the magic number itself.

How did we pull off this miracle? With Adam’s expertise and more than a few Benjamin Franklins.

Still, it’s remarkable that a light freeride/aggressive trail bike can come in that far under 30 pounds. The full verdict on our build can’t be fully tested till this summer, but we’re looking forward to stretching the Firebird out!

]]>One of the SF Bike Expo 2010’s highlights for us on Saturday was visiting the Seattle-based Velo Transit booth manned by founder Paul Larson and his wife, Bobby.

Velo Transit makes tough, durable but stylish packs for cyclists. They’re big-mouthed and yet nicely tapered for better stability and feel on the back (also sight clearance for cyclists checking over their shoulder). They’re also light, despite having a completely waterproof liner and ballistics-grade materials.

These are big pluses to inveterate cyclo-packers like us. We have a Sultan — Chrome’s biggest, baddest pack (apparently no longer available) — that we use around town and that will eat entire grocery carts for breakfast. But it’s quite heavy, bulky and unwieldy even when empty. We like the way Velo Transit’s packs slip effortlessly on and off as a t-shirt. A lot of ergonomic thinking went into the design of these packs.

Larson explained that the weight savings comes not just from tapering but also from using a lighter weight liner than conventional polyvinyl. Plus there’s no stitching with Velo Transit — seams are RF (radio frequency) welded — which also creates a more waterproof bond.

Gender-specific harnesses add to Velo Transit’s versatility, as well as the option of longer packs for taller or long-torsoed riders (we’re guilty on that count too).

Velo Transit pack: Eats big, rides light

Some other nice touches we like:

Reflective stripes. Packs cover up reflective triangles and clothing, so it makes eminent sense for the packs themselves to carry striping.

Blinker mount, side stash pockets and front triple-pouch pocket. We like pockets. Too many packs either go way overboard or lack enough. Velo Transit gets it right.

Stability straps for side and shoulder compression. Especially important when you ride a lot in traffic and don’t want your pack shifting all over.

Padded straps and back molding. They keep the pack comfortable and permit ventilation for your back.

Laptop pouch. It comes with a nice Velcro setup to keep the computer from flopping around. It’s also completely removable for carry-along in other packs, and has padding as well.

We also like the color options Velo Transit offers, including cheery orange, yellow and red as well as the muted options like sand, gray and blue.

The packs aren’t cheap, running in the $150 to $180 range. But aimed at commuters, bike couriers and core riders, they’re priced competitively given the quality of workmanship and lifetime warranty.

Finally, VT packs are MADE IN THE USA (Seattle, actually). It’s great to see a local company using local supplies to put out a superior product.

You can order VT packs off the Web but if you’re in Seattle, drop by their shop at 815 Airport Way S. You can see all the packs, get properly fitted, and have a great chat with Paul and Bobby. Although Larson is an industry veteran, Velo Transit has only been around since last spring. But its attention to detail and innovative design touches promise a lasting niche in the pack market.

]]>http://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/11/velo-transits-innovative-packs-break-the-mold/feed/24848Finally, We Can Breathe Againhttp://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/09/finally-we-can-breathe-again/
http://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/09/finally-we-can-breathe-again/#respondThu, 30 Sep 2010 07:26:19 +0000http://bikeintelligencer.com/?p=4534As bad as a belly-up hard disk is, it could have been worse.

]]>A dead hard drive left BikeIntelligencer blacked out for nearly the past week, but all is well again thanks to the heroic efforts of the folks at the Mac Store in Seattle. James, Abby, Matt, Marshall and the gang did yeoman service to keep down time minimized (a system upgrade and data restore from the defunct drive took some time but it could have been far worse had they not expedited).

]]>http://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/09/finally-we-can-breathe-again/feed/04534Mountain Biking with MotionX-GPS: Real-time locationing on the ridehttp://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/09/mountain-biking-with-motion-x-gps-%e2%80%94-little-brother-is-watching-you/
http://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/09/mountain-biking-with-motion-x-gps-%e2%80%94-little-brother-is-watching-you/#respondTue, 21 Sep 2010 08:10:35 +0000http://bikeintelligencer.com/?p=4512At any time on a ride, a sense of where you are.

]]>We’ve been riding in the mountains on remote mountain-biking expeditions for two decades, wishing we had a way to track our routes. Our Suunto Vector “wristop” (watch) with an altimeter and compass met the “good enough” test for years. But now, with GPS and map software merging with smart-phone ubiquity, it’s a whole new world out there. And with the forthcoming HTML 5 standard offering built-in location services, it’s about to get even better.

Esmeralda Peaks ride on MotionX-GPS.

At any point on the mountain, you’re able to Twitter or Facebook or text your friends, providing your exact location pegged to an online map. This is assuming cell service, which can be a big if. But even that is expanding every year.

We first considered the Garmin Edge 705, retailing at $595, a powerful and handy dedicated device. It has the advantages of being bike-specific, offering info like cadence, heart rate, riding time (separated from lunch, for example), elevation and even grade. And it can work with a variety of downloadable maps. But it can’t do real-time updates to the Web. Garmin is scrambling to leverage its brand name and user base with things like Garmin Connect, but in the age of Twitter and Facebook it may be a losing battle.

There’s a bunch of GPS apps out for the iPhone. We settled on the $2.99 MotionX-GPS and have been testing it in recent weeks. (A leading freebie, Google’s My Tracks, lacks the feature set and sparkling user interface of MotionX.)

Using MotionX is somewhat of a moveable feast. The app has upgraded three times in the past couple of months and keeps adding to its versatility. We’re still feeling our way but are impressed with the huge convenience factor.

It also helps to have a certifiable tech genius behind the product — Philippe Kahn, co-founder of Fullpower Technologies, which produces MotionX. We’ve known Philippe since his PC software days doing battle with Bill Gates, and he’s always light years ahead of the game.

With MotionX we can track real-time elevation gain, distance, time, elevation profile and instantly have the totals at the end of the ride. We can tweet or Facebook on the ride as well. A photo taken with the iPhone camera can be mapped and shared right from the trail.

There’s something spooky about all this, but at the same time, wow: I can provide as-I-ride updates of my progress to my always-worried spouse and next time simply send the route map to her for reference. Real-time depends on cell service of course, and that’s not always available on the big epics. But Galbraith has good coverage, so does Whistler and many of the lowland mtb haunts. Plus you can get cell service in unlikely and increasingly widespread places as the logging companies and the feds seek to communicate, as well as assist Homeland Security in keeping track of your and my every move.

For a glimpse of where this is headed, check out Philippe’s in-the-middle-of-the-ocean video, in real time on the iPhone using satellite technology.

A couple of noteable caveats here: In a canopied forest, you can lose the GPS signal. In most cases we found MotionX would fill in the gaps, but one time the iPhone lost GPS and didn’t get it back for quite a while. That left the last leg of our ride unmapped, a real annoyance.

Also, beware the power suck of GPS mapping! Long epics (6 to 8 hours) killed our iPhone 3. Anything beyond 4 hours can put it into the red zone.

A nice new iPhone 4 should take care of the problem, but in any case you have to watch the battery level when using GPS tracking.

Topping our wish list for the future is custom map downloadability. MotionX offers Bing and Google as standards, and will accept marine maps as well as its own custom maps. You can do topo views as well as satellite. But what we need is for it to recognize trail maps like, for instance, Washington’s Green Trails, so you can see right where you are on a ride, right there on the trail. (It doesn’t help that Green Trails’ collection is not available interactively online, although you can download printable maps.)

It’s our belief that whoever starts offering custom trail maps for download onto smart phones will provide a crucial missing link here. OpenCycleMap offers an opportunity here but will take some time to gain critical mass.

From our experience, MotionX is the sweet spot for following your rides. The Garmin Edge is more bike-specific but lacks real-time interactivity and is pricey. My Tracks is free but not as smart. Just $2.99 turns your smart phone into an all-mountain trip log and statistical powerhouse.

[Note: In accordance with BikeIntelligencer policy, which stipulates that we pay for what we review, we managed to come up with the $2.99 to download MotionX.]

]]>From the time we first talked with Joe Breeze back in the early 1990s, we’ve held mountain biking’s humble trailblazer in high regard. When Joe put out the word that, after several years of focusing on commuter bikes, he was back in the mountain-bike game, we were stoked at the news. Subsequently we had the opportunity to try out his updated signature bike for review. Interbike 2010, where Breezer will be showing off its full line, provided a great occasion for assessing the steel stallion he first showed off a year ago.

Breezer Lightning back in the day.

The Lightning Team is a state-of-the-art steel hardtail with inimitable Breeze tweaks. On a historical note, the Breezer Lightning is a hallowed model in mountain biking lore. Joe designed and built the first from-scratch mountain bikes as custom frames for friends in Marin County under the shadow of Mount Tamalpais. As a nod to Tom Ritchey, the other pioneering frame builder, Breeze’s Lightning Team build uses a Ritchey headset, stem, handlebars and seat post.

Although most of our riding these days is on full suspension bikes, our Ibis Mojo and Pivot Firebird, we still hack around town on a slightly street-modified Titus titanium HCR hardtail we’ve had for nearly a decade. We decided to line up the Lightning with the HCR for visual comparison of what Joe has done to adapt convention to the 21st Century.

Today and yesterday, in racing hardtail tech.

The first thing you’ll notice is the Breezer’s arched down tube (for fork clearance, but also strength). Then there’s the shorter top tube. Lower standover height. More relaxed angles. Bottom bracket height and seat-stay length are comparable — a testament to both frames’ racing heritage. You can’t see it from the side-by-side, but the Breezer also has a clever inset rear disc caliper and unique dropout setup. [Full specs here.]

Testing the Breezer, we decided to trade off riding with our other bikes to really clarify its different feel. What jumped out at us most was the Lightning’s trigger-quick handling, its responsiveness to terrain, and its cat-like climbing ability. There were times the Lightning just kind of melded with the ride to the point we felt really at one with the frame. It reacts so fast to what you want it to do, the bike seems almost psychic.

Tucking in the caliper for stability and power.

As its name suggests, the Lightning is made to go fast. It felt so demonstrably quicker we decided to do a couple of tests against our other bikes. We rode both hardtails around a hilly loop near our home on dirt trails through Lower Woodland Park. The first test we rode the Lightning first and then the HCR. The second test we switched the order. In both cases the Lightning was faster.

We did a similar test up a long singletrack climb at Grand Ridge near Issaquah, switching off between the Breezer and our Mojo. The results were the same. According to the stopwatch, the Lightning won. The margin on all four tests averaged out to under 1 percent. That doesn’t sound big, but even a fraction of a second can mean a lot in a racing context. Just ask Davis Phinney.

Now to be clear, these tests were subject to so many variables as to render them meaningful only for casual observation. It should be noted that the Lightning is super light — 24.5 lbs. compared to 26.2 lbs. for the HCR and 25.5 for the Mojo. And although we tried to compensate for fatigue, etc., in the end our endeavor was hardly what you would call scientific.

A head badge steeped in MTB lore.

Still, we found it interesting that the Lightning, in addition to feeling faster, actually was faster, as far as our admittedly unrigorous testing could determine.

Light as it is, the Breezer seemed capable of taking a pounding. We couldn’t resist taking it over some of Lower Woodland’s doubles, and even off a small lip jump. While the landings didn’t quite compare to, say, our Firebird, we were impressed at how stable the Lightning felt on touch-down. It’s a finely balanced, springy frame that airs and sticks well, hugging any surface. Even over urban fun stuff, going down stairs, jumping curbs, etc., the Lightning sucked up hits with grace and aplomb.

Although far more compliant than aluminum, steel (Breezer D’fusion custom-butted Reynolds 525 CroMoly) does not typically have the damping of ti. But we were impressed with the Lightning. It fell a bit short of the Titus in soaking up vibration, but its more sophisticated geometry gave it a precision that helped compensate for surface jar.

We came to like the lockout.

The large frame fit perfectly despite the shorter top tube. At first we thought the remote lockout on the Fox 32 F100-RL fork was overkill but came to really like it, the only trick being remembering to click back to travel mode after the climb! The Lightning’s Schwalbe Rocket Rons were grippier than we expected, with an open tread pattern that accentuated the bike’s speed. The Shimano XT drive train (rear XTR derailleur) was crisp and quick but we still prefer SRAM. The one thing we’d definitely change on the Lightning is the narrow (23-inch) flat handlebar. It felt too twitchy, especially after riding our 27-inch Mojo bars (the HCR has 25-inchers; both are 1-inch risers as well).

What really struck home for us was the fun factor. It’s been years since we’ve ridden trails on a hardtail and we’d forgotten what a different set of pluses it can bring to the singletrack experience. This is a great all-around bike, especially for prowling the hills around Mount Tam, Breeze’s stomping grounds. Joe has 29ers on the way and undoubtedly a few more tricks up his sleeve. Watch for more quality innovation from the fertile and creative mind of Joe Breeze.

[Note: While BikeIntelligencer policy is to review only stuff we’ve purchased, in this case we will return the Lightning to Breezer. We’ve got enough bikes.]

]]>http://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/09/interbike-2010-breezer-lightning-team-reviewed/feed/24491Interbike 2010: A year later, how’s that Kuat NV working out for ya?http://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/09/interbike-2010-kuat-nv-torture-tested/
http://bikeintelligencer.com/2010/09/interbike-2010-kuat-nv-torture-tested/#commentsMon, 20 Sep 2010 07:39:52 +0000http://bikeintelligencer.com/?p=4464A year after the NV's splashy debut, we offer an in-depth review.

]]>At Interbike 2009, the big bike rack buzz came from a tiny David v. Goliath maker with some fresh ideas. David was Kuat (Thule being Goliath of course), the rack was called the NV, and the fresh ideas were built-in cable locking and a truly cool bike stand for repairs on a road trip.

Kuat wound up sending us a unit for review. The occasion of this week’s Interbike gave us the opportunity to present a “one year later” look at Kuat’s flagship rack. We’ve also been told to expect a big announcement at this year’s Interbike from Kuat as well.

Higher off the ground, and solid.

We put our rack through the ringer. We logged more than 2,000 miles on it in less than a month. We took it across three states, up eroded 9-mile fire roads, over ungraded dirt access roads, across boggy meadows. We drove over brutal water bars at 8,000 feet elevation. We hit potholes the size of wading pools. We banged over rock gardens laced with boulders resembling cannonballs.

We whacked it, slammed it, used it and abused it. Through it all, the NV barely blinked. Bouncing over gullies and washouts, getting tossed around like an kayak in rapids, we would check in the rear view mirror to see how the bikes were doing. Based on experiences with Softride and Saris and Thule T2 racks, we expected to see some movement. Some shaking or wiggling or swaying.

Nada. The NV held solid. Kuat (the name comes from the first two initials of the co-founders last names) rode our buckin’ broncos — a Honda CR-V and Volkswagen Eurovan — all over the corral, barely even breaking a sweat.

[After we finished our testing, news came that some NVs were being recalled for an issue with the wheel cups. We checked and were not surprised to find our rack a later iteration than the suspect units. If there were a flaw in our rack, we think we would have noticed. Kuat addressed the issue some time ago but decided on the recall to be on the safe side. We wish Thule, whose T2 we own but feel has some dangerous albeit easily fixable design issues, were as proactive in its recall policy.]

The NV arrived unassembled. Assembly tools and hardware are included. It took us a little more than an hour from unpacking to final kit, which would’ve gone much faster with a ratchet wrench that fit the mounting bolts (8mm head).

The Kuat NV represents a laudable step up in platform hitch rack technology. The first thing you notice is its beefier and safer construction. The trays bolt (rather than slide) onto the hitch spar. They’re nicely molded, painted and polished. The rack weighs 8 pounds more than the T2 (45 v. 37 lbs.), but in this case the extra weight is worth it. The thing feels solid.

Angled down for rear access.

The rack uses an expansion cam to snug into the hitch, an approach we wondered about at first but came to really appreciate. After lining up the mount with the hitch hole, you slip in a steel pin and sleeve, securing the pin with a supplied cover lock. Then you turn a knurled knob on the outer end of the spar to engage the expansion mechanism. A supplied Allen wrench completes the procedure.

We originally thought the cam meant no 4-bike configuration (2 additional trays) for the NV. But Kuat has begun offering a 2-bike add-on option.

The cam provides far less slop than the conventional screw-in bolt used by other racks. With the bolt you simply can’t get the same purchase as Kuat’s innovative expansion technology. The “Kuat grip” helps explain why this rack moves so much less than others under duress.

We liked a number of other things.

The rack’s configuration puts it 2-plus inches higher off the road than the T2. This kept us from whacking the rack even on gnarly dirt ascents at speed.

The 'Trail Doc' bike stand saved our bacon.

The support arms have a broader, rubberized top hook (clamp) that more fully engages the front tire. The NV comes with attachments enabling the arms to accept 20-inch wheels. The rear-wheel straps have slip-through fasteners that can be threaded and pulled tight with just one hand (most racks have buckles requiring two hands). Overall, mounting bikes on the NV is the quickest and easiest we’ve encountered.

There’s no rear wheel cup, just the scooped surface of the tray. We wondered if this were less secure until we forgot to strap one of the bikes in. Hours (and miles) later we discovered our error, but the unstrapped wheel hadn’t budged from the middle of the tray.

The ratchet mechanism on the support arms was a bit sticky but held like a vise. It’s released with a plastic button that didn’t always release easily and seemed like the only cheap part on the rack (tip: for easier release, push the hook down as you engage the button). The arms themselves are burly and tight — again, giving the feeling of a secure, stable fit.

Our only other minor gotcha had to do with the rack position release. It’s a bit difficult to reach and tricky to engage (we kept expecting it to break in and it may very well with more use, but it was kind of balky). Other racks we’ve used, including Thule’s, make changing rack position a lot easier.

You can also lower the NV (like the T2) at an angle away from the vehicle for access to rear window and hatches. It worked like a charm on the CR-V and a Subaru; the Eurovan’s rear door is too big and low. (But aside from the Softride, that’s been true of other racks we’ve used.)

There are two particularly tasty bits on the NV. It has a built-in locking cable we really loved. The cables emerge from opposite tray ends and secure through the bikes’ rear triangles with an attached lock. They’re probably not enough to protect bikes overnight, say, or in a big unguarded parking lot. But for everyday use they’re wonderful. When not in use they slide into recessed slots out of sight. A nice touch: Magnets hold the cable ends in place so they don’t pop out and drag on the pavement.

Then there’s the built-in bike repair stand, which Kuat calls its “Trail Doc.” For our 10-day Idaho sojourn this was a life-saver. You simply close the rack (upright), extend a post with quick-release and use the seat-post clamp to secure your bike. You can do everything from simple maintenance like chain lubing or cable adjustment to wheel removal, bottom bracket overhaul, whatever. The pedals don’t catch on the rack, there’s plenty of room to work, and the bike is high enough that you don’t have to do the entire job bending over.

We wondered about a couple of things even though we encountered no problems. When the rack is not in use and placed upright (against the rear), the knurled tightening knob is rear-most exposed. We wondered how it would hold up being whacked by the bumper of another car. (MTBR.com’s reviewer broke off the knob driving off a curb.) The same thing goes for when the rack is loaded, only in that case the Trail Doc hardware is exposed. In any case, the rack comes with a lifetime warranty. We ran into a longtime Kuat customer at Galbraith Mountain who said Kuat had replaced his rack (not an NV) twice with no questions asked.

Retailing at $495, the NV is a bit pricier than other racks. But you’re getting more features, better construction, more stability, safer operation and an overall better product. When you’re out on the road or doing a trailhead repair with the NV, you won’t miss those Andrew Jacksons one bit.

Bottom line: This is the best platform rack out there. The detail work, thoughtful construction and cool features make it more than just a bike carrier. It’s like an all-around bike butler, capable of attending to your bike’s every need.

Kuat NV comparison with Thule T2

[Note: T2s have recently become unavailable from some leading outlets, prompting speculation that Thule will offer an upgraded model to be unveiled at the upcoming Interbike show in Las Vegas. We’ll keep readers posted.]

Design: Kuat’s arm hooks are broader and more curved, offering more contact with tires. Thule’s more pronounced hooks have a tighter angle, less tire contact. Kuat’s design is more stable, we feel.

Adjustability: Thule’s trays slide along main spar, offering more options for bike-to-bike clearance. But we’ve also reported a number of catastrophic failures with the T2 due to this feature. BikeIntelligencer supports a recall of the rack to address this flaw in the T2. Kuat’s trays are fixed.

Construction: Kuat is a significant 8 lbs. heavier. The tradeoff is greater strength and stability, particularly noticeable in the trays.

Rack release: Kuat’s side release was a bit balky and harder to reach. Thule’s top-release lever is smoother and more accessible.

Finish: Kuat’s distinctive orange and gray, in addition to paint and clear coat, give it the nod over Thule in the looks department.

Features: Kuat offers a bike maintenance stand and built-in locking cable. (The latter feature is rumored to be included in a forthcoming update of the T2.) Thule offers locking support arms, but this feature is easily defeated by deflating the front tire.

[NOTE: With few exceptions as noted, our policy at BikeIntelligencer is to pay for what we review. In this case, Kuat offered us a rack for review that we liked so much we asked if we could buy it. Kuat asked us to donate the equivalent funds to a worthy cause of our liking, which we will split between the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance in Seattle and IMBA.]